78:title–72 In this wisdom psalm, the psalmist recounts Israel’s sacred history to exhort his audience to reflect on their behavior. He opens by identifying his psalm as a “parable” (see Ps 78:2 and note). Throughout the psalm, the psalmist focuses on Israel (vv. 5, 21, 71) and their journey with God. However, in v. 9, he more specifically mentions the Ephraimites to introduce his overview of Israel’s pattern of unfaithfulness during the exodus and wilderness wanderings (vv. 9–16). The psalmist then presents the episode of the manna and quail (vv. 17–31), portraying it as a sign of their faithlessness (vv. 17–20). He also describes God’s provision of manna (vv. 21–25) and mentions God’s punishment of Israel with a plague (vv. 26–31). The psalmist then depicts the pattern of Israel’s waywardness and God’s subsequent punishment of them during the wilderness wanderings (vv. 32–37). This time was also marked by God’s compassion, but Israel never changed (vv. 38–41). The psalmist then discusses Israel’s failure to “remember” the plagues against Egypt and God’s subsequent deliverance of His people (vv. 42–53). This section concludes with Israel’s entry into and settlement of the promised land (vv. 54–55). The psalmist then briefly portrays Israel’s history within the promised land (vv. 56–64), depicting their idolatry (v. 57), which prompted God to punish them (v. 62). He recounts God’s eventual rescue of Israel, describing how God has rejected Ephraim and selected Judah to house His temple (vv. 65–72). The psalmist concludes by emphasizing David’s faithfulness and skill in guiding Israel (v. 72). 78 is the second longest psalm (after Psa 119), and is one of several historical psalms that make use of extended presentations of Israel’s history (compare Pss 105; 106). The psalm can also be categorized as a wisdom psalm since it is an exhortation framed as a story (see v. 2), and aims to prompt people to reflect on their relationship with God. The majority of the psalm involves a series of reflections on Israel’s history from the exodus through the wilderness (vv. 9–53). Two of these reflections are thematic overviews that focus on Israel’s waywardness (vv. 9–16, 32–41). The other material develops two main topics: the episode of the manna and the quail from the Book of Numbers (78:17–31) and the series of plagues against Egypt (vv. 42–53). Types of Psalms Table

78:title A maskil See note on 32:title.

of Asaph See note on 73:title.

78:1–8 The introduction to Psa 78 explains that it is a “parable” (v. 2) intended to exhort the Israelites to not be like their forefathers (v. 8).

78:1–4 The opening of the psalm mentions that Israel’s history will be used as a parable (see v. 2 and note). God’s discipline of Israel seems to be described as part of His wondrous works.

78:2 a parable The Hebrew term used here, mashal, can refer to a saying or a proverb (see Prov 1:6), but it can also be an extended figurative comparison or story like what is depicted in this psalm. See note on Prov 1:1.

riddles The Hebrew word used here, chidah, refers to a riddle or enigmatic saying.

78:4 We will not hide them from their children Israel failed to follow God throughout its history. The psalmist seems to be saying that he will not hide the past from God’s people but instead use it for teaching.

the praises of Yahweh The focus of Israel’s faith is not their goodness, but God’s help to them over the course of their history.

wonders The Hebrew word used here, niphla'oth, is usually associated with the events of the exodus from Egypt (see Exod 7:3).

78:5–8 The psalmist describes how God (Ps 78:5) demanded that Israel not only recount His laws and instructions, but also remember the good and bad parts of their history. The Israelites should teach God’s laws and Israel’s history so that each new generation would know not to go astray (v. 8).

78:5 a testimony The word eduth can mean “testimony” or “witness”; here, it refers to a declaration of God’s expectations of His people in the sense of “legal provisions.”

in Jacob The ancestor of the Israelites whose name was changed to “Israel” (see Gen 32:22–28).

to teach to their children God commanded Israel to teach His law to the children of the next generation (see Deut 6:6–7).

78:7 keep his commandments Part of trusting God and honoring His past help was following His directions for conduct.

78:8 a stubborn and rebellious generation Israel’s record of faithlessness spanned the length of its history, and the psalmist may be referring to Israel’s idolatry and apostasy within the promised land or more specifically to the events recorded in Num 14:22–23.

78:9–16 This section is the first of two thematic overviews in Psa 78 (see vv. 32–41). This section summarizes Israel’s interaction with God during the exodus (Exod 6–12) and then in the wilderness (Exod 14–40; Num 11–25).

78:9–11 Later, the psalmist will contrast Ephraim with Judah and the Davidic dynasty (Ps 78:67–72).

78:9 This verse could have been inserted by a later editor since the depiction of Israel’s faithlessness would have continued unbroken without it—instead this comment about Ephraim is inserted. However, the subsequent mention of Ephraim and Judah in vv. 67–68 indicates that v. 9 is not purposeless. In Psa 78, Ephraim functions as a contrast to Judah (and David), and the story of Ephraim seems to be central to the psalmist’s overall point.

The sons of Ephraim A tribe of Israel and also representative of the northern kingdom of Israel (Hos 4:17; 2 Chr 25:7). Shiloh, which was in Ephraim, could have been the central place of worship for the entire nation (1 Sam 1:24; compare Josh 18:1; 22:12), but instead Jerusalem was selected (see Psa 78:60–69). Ephraim also served as a general symbol of idolatry in Israel’s history, primarily because of their early affiliation with idolatry (Judg 18:31). In the current form of the psalm, Ephraim seems to be symbolic of the overall disobedience of God’s people, but especially of the disobedience of the northern tribes. See note on Psa 78:10; compare note on v. 60.

78:10 They did not keep the covenant of God The Ephraimites did not keep God’s law or drive out the Canaanites from their portion of the promised land as they were supposed to (Judg 1:29). After Israel entered the promised land, the Ephraimites, and the Israelite people in general, primarily sinned against God by participating in idolatry (see Judg 18:31). Compare note on Psa 78:9

78:11 wonders that he had shown them Identification with the events of the exodus was a feature of Israel’s ongoing religious life (see Deut 5:1–5; 11:7). Even though subsequent generations of Israelites did not literally witness God’s actions during the exodus, they were expected to identify with them as though they had been there.

78:12–16 In this passage, the psalmist briefly summarizes God’s actions in rescuing Israel during the exodus and then sustaining Israel in the wilderness.

78:13 He split the sea Refers to the parting of the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).

he caused waters to stand like a heap See Exod 15:8, compare Josh 3:16.

78:14 he led them with the cloud See Exod 13:21–22; 40:34–38.

78:15 He caused rocks to split in the wilderness See Exod 17:1–7; Num 20:2–13.

78:16 he brought streams out of the rock See Ps 78:15 and note.

78:17–31 In this passage, the psalmist reflects on the episode of the manna and quail that is recounted in Num 11:1–15, 31–35.

78:17–20 Israel’s main fault in the episode recalled here was their demand for meat (see Num 11:4–6); however, the psalmist implies that Israel complained against God on a regular basis (compare Exod 16–17; Num 11; Psa 78:19–20).

78:17 by rebelling against the Most High in the desert The psalmist seems to be specifically referring to Israel’s dissatisfaction with God’s provision in Num 11:1–6, not Israel’s later refusal to enter into Canaan (Num 14:1–4).

the Most High See note on Ps 91:1.

78:18 for their craving See Num 11:4, 34.

78:19 a table in the wilderness This portrayal of rebellion is a condensed account of Israel’s complaining. Israel had eaten manna from before the time that they arrived at Sinai (see Exod 16). God had already proven He could provide for Israel in the wilderness long before the events in the Book of Numbers.

78:20 he struck the rock and water flowed See Num 20:11.

can he also give food or provide meat The issue was not God’s ability to provide, but rather Israel’s impatience and insolence.

78:21–25 In this section, the psalmist focuses on God’s anger and His provision of manna to Israel. He implies that, although God was furious with Israel, He did not stop providing food for them. This section may be a stylized review of the wilderness journey of Israel, contrasting the reality of God’s continual provision of manna (Exod 16:35) with Israel’s general disloyalty to God.

78:21 against Jacob See Ps 78:5 and note.

78:22 they did not believe God Israel commonly longed for Egypt when facing difficulties in the wilderness (see Exod 16:3; Num 11:1–6).

78:23 opened the doors of heaven See Exod 16:4.

78:24 rained down on them manna to eat See Exod 16:4.

78:25 the bread of angels A poetic way of emphasizing the miraculous nature of God’s provision.

78:26–31 The psalmist now switches from focusing on the manna to the quail (see Num 11:31–34). He recounts the incident in which God gave Israel meat to eat but also struck them with a plague.

78:27 he rained meat on them like dust See Num 11:31.

78:28 all around his dwellings See Num 11:31.

78:29 he brought about what they craved See Num 11:4, 34.

78:30 food was still in their mouth See Num 11:33.

78:31 he killed some of the stoutest of them The account of Num 11 does not include this specific detail, but it does note that a plague came upon the people (Num 11:33) and earlier in Num 11 death does come to some people as a result of God’s anger (Num 11:1). For God to strike down Israel’s strongest young people indicates that God is not restraining Himself—these strong people are crucial for Israel’s continued survival.

78:32–41 This section is the second of two thematic overviews in Psa 78 (see vv. 9–16). In v. 32, the psalmist views the history of Israel in the wilderness through the lens of events recounted in Num 11–21 and Num 25. The episode of the manna and quail is the first of Israel’s failures in the wilderness after they leave Sinai. While Israel had previously angered God through complaining (Exod 15:24; 16:2) and participating in idolatry (Exod 32:7–10), the episode with the manna and quail began a new phase for Israel as they wandered—and failed—in the wilderness.

78:32 In spite of all this The psalmist uses the story of the manna and quail (Num 11) to introduce the entire story of Israel’s faithlessness in the wilderness.

his wonders Often refers to the exodus story (see Ps 77:11 and note), but the psalmist may be referring to God’s additional miraculous actions.

78:33 their years with terror The story of Israel’s time in the wilderness is filled with so many instances of Israel’s rebellion and God’s punishment that some episodes are simply mentioned in passing (see Num 11:1–3).

78:34 he killed some of them, then they sought him After receiving God’s punishment for rebellion, the Israelites would turn to Him again—but only temporarily. See, for example, the episode of the bronze serpent in Num 21:4–9.

78:35 was their rock A place of protection or a refuge.

78:36 But they enticed him The people did not keep their promise to remain faithful to God.

78:37 nor were they faithful to his covenant In the wilderness, Israel sinned by complaining about God’s provision for them (Num 11), committing idolatry (Exod 32), and refusing to enter the promised land (Num 13–14). See Ps 105:8 and note.

78:38 he pardoned The Hebrew word used here, kaphar, means “to cover.” It has the sense of covering iniquities or sin to avert punishment.

many times he turned back his anger God did not completely destroy Israel on the many occasions when He could have.

78:41 they again tested God Israel’s wilderness wanderings were characterized by continuous rebellion and disobedience.

78:42–55 In this section, the psalmist summarizes God’s actions on behalf of Israel from the events of the exodus from Egypt to the entry into the promised land. The presentation is focused almost entirely on the plagues against Egypt (vv. 42–53) with a short segment devoted to entry into Canaan and the allotment of the land to the tribes of Israel (vv. 54–55).

78:42–43 God’s demonstration of His power against Egypt is the template for redemption in the ot. The psalmist revisits the events of the exodus and portrays Israel’s failure in the wilderness as a failure to remember God’s previous rescue of them and trust Him accordingly.

78:42 when he redeemed them Refers to being rescued from bondage. See 103:4 and note.

78:43 his signs Compare Exod 7:3.

78:44–53 In this passage, the psalmist selectively overviews the plagues against Egypt, giving great weight to the 10th plague—the death of the firstborn (Exod 12:29–32)—and the subsequent departure of Israel from Egypt. The psalmist also includes the events at the Red Sea, but doesn’t emphasize them.

78:44 he turned their rivers to blood The first plague (Exod 7:14–25).

78:45 flies The fourth plague (Exod 8:20–32).

frogs The second plague (Exod 8:1–15).

78:46 locusts The eighth plague (Exod 10:1–20).

78:47 hail The seventh plague (Exod 9:13–25).

78:48 He also handed their cattle over to the hail See Exod 9:19, 25.

their livestock to the lightning bolts See Exod 9:24.

78:49 destroying angels The agents of God’s destruction during the 10th plague (see Exod 12:29–32).

78:50 He cleared a path for his anger Indicates that God expressed His anger and did not restrain it.

78:51 And he struck down all the firstborn in Egypt See Exod 12:29.

the tents of Ham Ham was one of Noah’s sons. His descendants are described as settling in the regions of Egypt and Canaan (Gen 10:6–20). See Ps 105:23 and note.

78:52 he led out his people like sheep A figurative description of the events of Exod 12:33–39.

78:53 the sea covered their enemies See Exod 14:21–31; 15:21.

78:54–55 In this brief unit, the psalmist describes transitions from Israel’s time in the wilderness to their life in the land of Israel. He condenses the events of the Book of Joshua into two verses.

78:54 mountain The Hebrew text here may allude to Exod 15:17—or could be referring to Mount Zion (see Ps 97:8 and note).

78:55 allocated them for an inheritance by boundary line See Josh 13–21.

78:56–64 This section may depict the period of the judges prior to the establishment of the monarchy (see the book of Judges). The psalmist connects Israel’s unfaithfulness within the promised land (Canaan) to their unfaithfulness during the time in the wilderness. For the psalmist, the primary sin of Israel at this time was idolatry (Ps 78:58). See note on vv. 59–64.

78:56–58 The psalmist draws an overt connection between Israel’s previous faithlessness in the wilderness and their waywardness within the land of Israel.

78:56 did not keep his statutes In this context, the Hebrew word eduth (“testimony” or “witness”) refers to God’s declared expectations of His people.

78:57 They twisted like a crooked bow An arrow shot from a warped bow will not fly straight.

78:58 high places Ancient worship sites were usually located on hills because of the ancient Near Eastern belief that they were connected to heaven and deities. Though the law prohibited high places, many Israelites still participated in idolatrous worship at them (see Deut 12:10–14; 16:5–6).

their images Although Israel had previously fallen into idolatry (e.g., Exod 32:1–10; Num 25:1–9), the psalmist focuses on idolatry within the land of Israel specifically, probably because it was viewed as defiling both the land and the people. See Ps 96:5 and note.

78:59–64 The psalmist continues to examine Israel’s unfaithfulness within the land of Israel and focuses on the sanctuary at Shiloh (see 1 Sam 1–4). The precise agent of God’s judgment in this section (Ps 78:62) and the timing of His rescue of Israel (v. 66) is ambiguous. The psalmist may be presenting Israel’s history to cause his audience to reflect on Israel’s present. Under this interpretation, Psa 78 could be categorized as a wisdom psalm because it prompts the nation to consider its present faithfulness to God.

78:59 rejected Israel utterly This seems to refer to just the northern kingdom or northern tribes of Israel (see v. 67). The psalmist portrays God’s focus on Judah (v. 68) and David (v. 70) after this point. Compare vv. 65–72 and note.

78:60 Shiloh The location of the ark of the covenant and the center of worship in 1 Sam 1–4 (compare Psa 132:8).

78:61 his strength The Hebrew text here seems to be referring to the ark of the covenant, hence why some translations provide the word “ark.” Compare 132:8 and note.

78:62 He also handed his people over to the sword See 1 Sam 4:1–11; note on Ps 78:59–64.

his inheritance Probably refers to the people of Israel, especially Ephraim and the other northern tribes. See note v. 59; note on 47:4.

78:64 His priests fell by the sword Priests are often killed whenever a sanctuary is defiled. See 1 Sam 4:11.

78:65–72 In this final section, the psalmist depicts God’s deliverance of Israel (Ps 78:65–66)—showing that the northern tribes were not rejected completely (v. 59)—and His selection of Jerusalem as His worship site (v. 68). A part of the selection of the worship site of Mount Zion in Jerusalem is the choice of David as God’s appointed leader (vv. 70–72).

78:65–66 The psalmist depicts God’s (aggressive) deliverance of Israel after He has disciplined them.

78:66 he beat back his enemies See 1 Sam 5; compare Psa 78:62 and note; note on vv. 59–64.

78:67–72 The closing emphasis of this psalm on David offers an exhortation to hope in the Davidic covenant (see 2 Sam 7), but the rest of the psalm also issues a word of caution encouraging the Israelites to trust in God alone. Just as God shifted His favor from Ephraim (Psa 78:9, 67) to Judah (v. 68), He can continue to punish unfaithfulness while keeping His promises to Israel.

78:67 he rejected the tent of Joseph Because of the tribal allotment of his sons (Ephraim and Manasseh), Joseph is associated with the northern kingdom of Israel, which was united under David (1004 bc) but later split with Judah (930 bc). Compare 105:17 and note.

78:68 chose the tribe of Judah The tribal allotment to Judah included Jerusalem (compare 97:8 and note).

Mount Zion The temple mount in Jerusalem and often used synonymously for Jerusalem in general. See 20:2 and note.

78:69 he built his sanctuary like the heights The Israelites considered the temple on Mount Zion to be the location of God’s presence on earth.

78:70 he chose David his servant and See 2 Sam 7.

78:71 Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance The psalmist identifies David as the leader of all Israel, not just the southern kingdom of Judah. See Ps 78:5 and note.

78:72 he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart David’s ultimate loyalty to God was legendary (1 Sam 13:13–14; Acts 13:22).